156 CARGO TRANSFERENCE AT STEAMSHIP TERMINALS. 
vailing practice at European ports, as there the walls are generally set back 
between 30 and 40 feet. 
This arrangement is a disputed question and open to argument, as it 
was only after long study that this seemed best for package freight handling, 
but there are many exceptions. The suggestions given are for general rules 
and not for the exceptions. 
The advice of the engineer and architect should be obtained, and their 
decision should only be given after a complete investigation of the freight 
handling and other conditions. 
Shed Location.—Where it seems best to place the wall back from the 
edge of the pier, there should be a cantilever roof extending to the edge of the 
pier to protect the workmen and freight, and to permit the work of transfer- 
ence to proceed under all conditions of weather. 
This cantilever roof is not possible with the standard traveling gantry 
crane with the high swinging jib. 
Among the reasons for the walls of the sheds tieing placed within a few 
feet of the edge of jutting piers, are the greater storage capacity under cover, 
the protection of the cargo during transit between the vessel and shore, and 
the possibility, sometimes desired, of swinging the drafts into the sheds by 
the ship’s winch. 
One of the reasons for the broad open space of from 35 to 40 feet at 
foreign seaports between the edge of the pier and the shed, was that the 
crane jibs could not otherwise be easily operated while serving one or more 
lines of railway tracks, dray space and the adjacent shed platform. 
Cars on Piers.—In respect to the transferring of miscellaneous package 
freight between vessels and cars, which must be assorted according to con- 
signments, there seems to be doubt as to the advantage in having cars be- 
tween vessels and sheds as is the custom with the usual traveling gantry. 
It may be that in one draft from the hold there may be consignments 
which must be distributed to cars located upon the tracks at a considerable 
distance from each other. The gantry must then lower the load upon the 
pier, where, after it has been assorted, it must be distributed by trucking to 
the different cars. 
Where, however, the cargo consists of few consignments and with bulk 
freight, so that cars can be loaded directly from the vessel without regard 
to marks, then there is economy and rapidity in loading directly from the 
vessel to the cars. 
Miscellaneous outward freight can seldom be taken directly from the 
car opposite a hatch and stowed in the vessel. The stevedore being re- 
sponsible for breakage and damage insists upon stowing the cargo in the ship 
